[Part 2]- TOPIC 3: Ecosystems, biodiversity and management 🐙🪼

Question 1

What climate do temperate grasslands have ?

Hint: distinct

Answer 1

• temperate grasslands have distinct hot and cold seasons.
• they are found at higher altitude and are at higher altitudes, than tropical grasslands.

Question 2

What else can you tell me about the climate of temperate grasslands ?

Hint: hot

Answer 2

• temperate grasslands have hot summers that are up to 40c, and have cold winters that can be down to -40c.
• temperate grasslands also receive 250-500mm of precipitation each year [mostly in the late spring and early summer]
• and since they’re found at mid-latitudes, the amount of light they receive varies throughout the year.

Question 3

What characteristics do temperate grasslands have ?

Answer 3

• plants- temperate grasslands are also dominated by grasses, and small plants. There are very few trees in temperate forests.
• animals- temperate forests are home to fewer animal species, than tropical grasslands.
• soils- the high temperatures in summer, mean that decomposition happens quickly, so soils are relatively thick and nutrient-rich.

Question 4

Why are there very few trees in temperate grasslands ?

Answer 4

• there very few trees in temperate grasslands, because rainfall is too low to support large plants.

Question 5

What animal species can be found in temperate forests ?

Answer 5

• in temperate forests, the animal species that can be found are mammals and rodents such as:
• bisons
• wild horses
• mole rats

Question 6

What is the tundra biome found ?

Answer 6

• the tundra is found at high latitudes, that are above 60*N in: Northern Europe, Alaska and Northern Canada.

Question 7

What is the climate of the tundra ?

Answer 7

• temperatures are very low- above 5-10c during the summer; lower than -30c in the winter.
• precipitation is also very low, around less than 250mm per year. Most of this falls as snow.
• tundras are found at high latitudes, meaning they get near-continuous daylight in the summer and little to no daylight in the winter.

Question 8

Fill in the gaps: In the tundra, there is more cloud _____ in the summer.

Answer 8

• In the tundra, there is more cloud cover in the summer [the fractions of clouds oberved, that cover the sky]

Question 9

What are the characteristics of the tundra?

Answer 9

• plants- the cold climate, and lack of light in the winter make it hard for plants to grow, and there are hardly any trees.
• animals- the cold climate and lack of vegetation means relatively few animal species live in the tundra.
• soils- the sparse vegetation of the tundra produces little leaf litter, and organic matter slowly decomposes in the cold and dry climate.
• This means the soil in the tundra is thin and nutrient-poor.

Question 10

In the tundra, what do some animals do ?

Answer 10

• Some animals even migrate for the south, in the winter.

Question 11

Why is the soil in the tundra thin, and nutrient-poor ?

Hint: leaf litter

Answer 11

• the soil in the tundra is thin and nutrient-poor, because:
• the sparse vegetation of the tundra produces little leaf litter, and organic matter will slowly decompose in the cold and dry climate.

Question 12

What vegetation and animals are found in the tundra ?

Answer 12

• vegetation such as moss, grass and low shrubs are found in the tundra.
• and animals like artic hares, artic foxes, mosquitoes and lots of birds are found in the tundra.

Question 13

What else can you tell me about the soil in the tundra ?

Answer 13

• there is a layer of permafrost [meaning permanently frozen ground] below the soil surface.
• This can stop water from draining away.

Question 14

What is the biosphere ?

Answer 14

• the biosphere, includes all part of the Earth that are occupied by living organisms such as: plants, animals, bacteria, fungi and the soil and water those organisms live in.

Question 15

Explain how the biosphere is a vital system

Answer 15

• the biosphere is a vital system, as the living organisms in it, provide goods that people need to survive.

Question 16

How does the biosphere provide resources for people. 🎣

Answer 16

-food- although most people Cory get their food from the biosphere [e.g- farming livestock], some people get food directly from the biosphere such as hunting or trapping animals. People can eat fish from rivers, lakes the sea; fish can also be farmed in tanks.

Question 17

How does the biosphere provide resources for people ? 🦟

Answer 17

• medicine- ; the biosphere also provide medicines for people. Lots of plants have medicinal properties, as well as being used to cure illnesses, keeping people healthy.

-There are also various plant species such as Echinacea, which is normally used to treat infections, or the plant species quinine [from a cinchona] tree, that’s used to treat malaria.

• ultimately, this clearly shows how the biosphere provides resources for us to create medicinal drugs

Question 18

How does the biosphere provide resources for people ? 🪨🌲

Answer 18

• building materials- the biosphere also provides raw buildings materials, such as metal and rock.
• ; the biosphere can also provide buildings materials for construction, such as trees being made for timber [which is used in structures of bridges and buildings.]

Question 19

How does the biosphere provide resources for people ? 🦭🔥

Answer 19

• fuel resources- not only does the biosphere provide fuel resources such as fossil fuels for burning, it also provides plants and animals, to help keep warm.
• as a fuel resource, the biosphere also provides dried animal dung or dried grass, which can be burnt for fuel Aswell as animal fat [such as seal blubber] being used for oil lamps.

Question 21

How is the biosphere being increasingly exploited, for commercial purposes ? 🦇

Answer 21

• energy- since the population is [rapidly] increasing, there is also an increase of demand for energy.
• hydroelectric dams are used to generate hydroelectric power, yet parts of the tropical forest have been flooded by the building of hydroelectric dams- this harms fish populations because it destroys their habitats and it kills wildlife.
• For example in a tropical forest, located in Malaysia, flooding from hydroelectric dams have put bat species at risk of local extinction. [where a species will no longer exist in that particular geographic area, though they will exist somewhere else]

Question 21

What is local extinction ?

Answer 21

• local extinction, is where a species will no longer exist in that particular geographic area, though they will exist somewhere else in the world.

Question 22

Give an example of how the increasing demand of energy, is threatening animal species. 🦇

Answer 22

• For example in a tropical forest, located in Malaysia, flooding from hydroelectric dams have put bat species at risk of local extinction.

local extinction- where a species will no longer exist in that particular geographic area, though they will exist somewhere else in the world.

Question 23

How else is the biosphere being increasingly exploited, for commercial purposes ? 🏜️

Answer 23

• water- there is also an increase for the demand of water, since the global population is increasing. As the population increases, resources for water are depleting, therefore there is a higher demand for them.
• In areas such as the Sahara desert, water resources such as rivers and lakes are being over-exploited, meaning the biosphere can be harmed because plants and animals living in that geographical area, that are dependent on water [e.g- deserts], no longer have enough water to survive.

Question 24

How does us exploiting the biosphere, lead to social impacts such as malnutrition ? 🍖🪺

Answer 24

• If animals that we rely on for food die, then means the resources we rely on from the biosphere are also at risk such as food.
• For example, in the Sahara desert, ostriches live there, which can produce meat and eggs- ; without these resources, our resources of food are depleted- this could then lead to social impacts such as malnutrition [in severe cases death]

Question 25

How else is the biosphere being increasingly exploited, for commercial purposes ? 🔭

Answer 25

• mineral resources- humans also exploit the biosphere for mineral resources such as gold, which can be for scientific instruments such as mirrors that are gold-coated in telescopes. [but once again, the demand for mineral resources is increasing]
• ; this exploitation of the biosphere harms it, as deforestation is caused, because of mines in tropical forests which are used for mining. [minerals are usually extracted by mining them].

Question 26

Explain the social and economic impacts of exploitation of mineral resources, that leads to deforestation. 🪓

Answer 26

• ; deforestation also poses economic and social impacts- tourists may be less areas that have lots of deforestation, meaning companies lose more money, which could result in people losing their jobs.
• but deforestation also means that there is a reduction of resources that the biosphere provides for us, such as plants that could be used for medicinal drugs.

Question 27

Explain the environmental impacts of exploitation of mineral resources, that leads to deforestation. 🪓

Answer 27

• Deforestation can result in environmental impacts such as trees releasing carbon dioxide [that they once stored] back into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.